Bringing your car from UK to Italy
Vehicle import rules — registration, MOT, immatricolazione
Overview — what changes when you import
When you become resident in Italy, your UK-registered vehicle needs to be re-registered on Italian plates within a defined window (commonly within 60 days of establishing residence). The car keeps its physical form but switches paperwork — UK V5 to Italian carta di circolazione, UK plates to Italian plates, UK MOT to revisione.
You can drive UK-plated in Italy while still UK-resident; the question only arises once you become Italian-resident.
Documents needed for import
For immatricolazione italiana: UK V5/V5C; proof of ownership (sale receipt or original-purchase invoice for new vehicles); proof of identity and Italian residency (residenza certificate); evidence of vehicle arrival in Italy; dogane import declaration; recent revisione (Italian MOT, less than 6 months old); certificato di conformità europea (European certificate of conformity, available from manufacturer for most makes); possibly homologation certificate for non-standard vehicles.
For older vehicles: certificato di rilevanza storica e collezionistica (vintage status certificate) for veicolo storico registration if 30+ years old.
The registration process
Registration is at the Motorizzazione Civile (regional vehicle authority). The process: declare the vehicle import to the dogane; take it for a fresh revisione at an Italian CT centre; gather the documentation; submit the immatricolazione application to the Motorizzazione; receive the new carta di circolazione; have Italian plates made and fitted.
Lead time: 4-8 weeks typically from start to plates fitted. The Motorizzazione process is the bottleneck — appointment-based, paper-form-driven.
Specialist cases
Vehicles older than 30 years: veicolo storico registration available with relaxed revisione (every 4 years instead of every 2). Original-condition requirement.
High-emissions vehicles: may attract a one-time bollo auto (vehicle tax) calculated on engine size and emissions — significant for older diesels.
EV vehicles: standard registration; charging infrastructure varies by region (well-developed in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany; thinner in southern Italy).
Right-hand-drive: UK RHD cars can be registered in Italy without conversion. Headlight beam adjustment required for use on right-side roads.
ZTL access in Italian cities: most historic centres restrict vehicle access by emissions class. Check your destination city's ZTL rules — older diesels are sometimes excluded from city centres.